TUSCANY (Italy)

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Provinces: Firenze, Arezzo, Grosseto, Livorno, Lucca, Massa, Pisa, Prato, Pistoia, Siena

This region stretches over the slope of the Apennines, in front of the Tyrrhenian Sea with a mainly mountainous and hilly landscape. There's a flat area close to the sea, the Maremma. In front of the coast there are the small enchanting islands of the Tuscan archipelago.

Tuscany ( Toscana ) is one of the most beautiful and popular tourist destinations in Italy, and is located in central Italy, along the Mediterranean coast. Tuscany is a gently hilly region, known for its vineyards and olive groves, with large houses or small settlements scattered around the low hills.

Its rich rolling landscape is complemented by towns overflowing with Renaissance art and architecture. The most important river is the Arno, on which Florence and Pisa are situated, although the Tiber also passes briefly through.

Florence is Tuscany's unmissable crown jewel, with its beautiful buildings, colourful history, priceless art and unique atmosphere. But Tuscany is one of the few Italian regions well-known to foreigners as a tourist destination in itself.

For decades a Tuscan villa has been the dream holiday for many travellers. And amongst the vineyards and hills of Tuscany are other lovely historic towns - not as packed with attractions as Florence, but not as packed with tourists either. Siena is a patrician hilltop town with a past to rival that of Florence, famous for the rivalry between its districts (called contrade ) which climaxes in the Palio .

Pisa boasts not just the legendary leaning tower, but also several other attractions, and good transport links to other parts of Italy. Smaller Tuscan destinations which are popular with holidaymakers include Lucca, San Gimignano (a forest of medieval towers on a hill) and the wine-producing Chianti area.